TRIANDRIA MONOGYNIA. Kardus. 15 



round below, with a swelling, tubular sheath. Spike 

 egg-shaped. Glumes membranous. E. B. 873. 



Boggy heaths. Coleshill Bog, Warwickshire. Pn. 

 Per. March, April. 



Ls. triangular, sharp pointed. Spike erect, of a silvery gi'ey ; 

 finally with long, white hairs.) 



E. piibescens. Downy -stalked C. Stem angular up- 

 wards. Leaves flat, spear-shaped, with a triangular 

 point. Stalks of the spikes downy. Hairs twice the 

 length of the spike. 



Bogs, marshes. Bog near Stow Wood. Bogs near Headington 

 Wick Copse. B.v. First observed in Oxfordsh. by Mr. Bx. 



Ls. darkish, olive-green. Spikes two to eight, nine. Glumes 

 blackish. 



E. angustifolium. Common C. Stem nearly round. 

 Leaves linear, triangular ; channelled towards the base. 

 Stalks of the spikes smooth. Hairs four times the 

 length of the spike. E. B. 564. E. polystachion. 

 C. 4. 9. Sb. 24. 



In turfy, hoggy, and muddy meadoivs. 

 Per. April. 



After flowering, the spikes are partly erect. Involucre, longer 

 than the flowering spikes. The brilliant, white tufts of this plant, 

 look throughout the summer, like feathers scattered over the coun- 

 try. Food for cattle in the earlier part of the spring, in the 

 Isle of Skye. The down, a stuffing for pillows, among the poor: 

 also for candle wicks, which become brittle, when quite diy. 



NARDUS. Mat-grass. * 



* From the matted order of the stems. Purton. 



N. stricta. Common 31. Spike bristled-shaped, straight, 



florets all pointing one way. Leaves thrice the length 



of their sheaths. E. B. 290. Spartum nostras par- 



vum. G. E. 41. 1631. 

 Barren, sandy, rather moist, heaths and moors. * Shotover-Hill, 



Southleigh Heath. Sb. Cumnor Hurst. Br. 

 Per. June. 



Ls. bristle-shaped. Schrank celebrates this deep-rooted grass as 

 a safe support to the hands of the Alpine botanist, in precipitous 

 situations, though it renders his path very slippery. Stocked up 

 by crows for the larvas of Tipulee, found at the root. This grass 

 being stifl", and short, eludes the stroke of the scythe, takes ofi" its 

 edge, and is, in consequence, disliked by mowers. Holds its spike 

 until winter. Cattle in general refuse it. E. B. 



